Related Stories

Researchers say they have found new clusters of genes that control how tall you're going to grow, which together can make a height combined difference of up to 6 centimetres.

Some of the genes control lyrically-named proteins called sonic hedgehog, Indian hedgehog and desert hedgehog.

The UK study, published today in the journal Nature Genetics, entailed sifting through samples from more than 30,000 people of European descent to look for common variations in the genetic code that help determine height.

The researchers found 20 new regions, or loci, of the genome that, put together, can make a difference in height of up to 6 centimetres.

Unlike obesity, which is driven by genetic and environmental factors, height is almost entirely a genetic affair.

Some 90% of normal variation in human height can be attributed to one's DNA heritage rather than nutrition.

The 20 loci account for roughly 3% of this 90%. Last September, the same team found a genetic variant that accounted for another 0.3%.

Some of the 20 regions of genetic code spotted in the new study are well known and their function has been intensively explored.

They include genes, such as the hedgehogs, that are essential for cell division, a finding that may be useful for cancer research.

Some genes act as switches, which turn other genes on and off. And others play a role in cell-to-cell signalling.

One region is implicated in osteoarthritis, which affects wear and tear on the body. Results from a previous study suggests this part of the genome may govern the growth of cartilage.

But roughly half of the genes are a completely unknown quantity.

Lots of genes

"The number and variety of genetic regions that we have found show that height is not just caused by a few genes operating in the long bones" of the body, says Professor Tim Frayling of the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter.

"Instead, our research implicates genes that could shed light on a whole range of important biological processes.

"By identifying which genes affect normal growth, we can begin to understand the processes that lead to abnormal growth, not just height disorders but also tumour growth, for example."

Taller people are statistically more likely to be at risk from some kinds of cancer, for instance prostate, bladder and lung cancer; short people seem to be more prone to heart disease.